Is Your Facebook News Feed Looking a Little Lighter?
Are you seeing less of brands and businesses that you have been following on Facebook lately? Perhaps people you saw before don’t show up now? Well, if you are feeling that way, then you’re absolutely right. Mark Zuckerberg made this announcement on January 11, 2018 discussing the current environment of Facebook. Mark said, ” Recently we’ve gotten feedback from our community that public content — posts from businesses, brands and media — is crowding out the personal moments [from friends and family] that lead us to connect more with each other.” He honed in on and the original purpose for the Facebook platform, and how this is now lacking because publisher and public content has shifted our newsfeed. In a nutshell, Facebook reach for pages will diminish significantly. Your content as a business owner will show up less on the News Feed.
Below is an excerpt from the official announcement:
Page posts that generate conversation between people will show higher in News Feed. For example, live videos often lead to discussion among viewers on Facebook – in fact, live videos on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos. Many creators who post videos on Facebook prompt discussion among their followers, as do posts from celebrities. In Groups, people often interact around public content. Local businesses connect with their communities by posting relevant updates and creating events. And news can help start conversations on important issues. Using “engagement-bait” to goad people into commenting on posts is not a meaningful interaction, and we will continue to demote these posts in the News Feed.
What Does This Mean For Facebook Business Pages? Be More Human.
Engagement-bait (which includes language on posts such as “LIKE”, “SHARE,” etc.) will be demoted under the new changes. This type of language isn’t seen as natural engagement. As you post to Facebook, avoid using this type of language and talk to your audience authentically.
5 Ways To Evolve With The Facebook Newsfeed Change
1. Engagement (What You Say Really Matters)
DON’T: Use “engagement-bait” which includes language on posts such as “LIKE”, “SHARE,” etc. These terms for contest actual violate Facebook Terms & Conditions. Hosting Contests via Facebook will fall under “engagement-bait”. Avoid being a Headline Clickbait Creator.
DO: Be human and conversational. Tell a story.
*Tip: Taking a Copy Course or getting a Copy Coach like Ashlyn Writes can help with this.
2. Facebook Live (Get On Video)
DON’T: Avoid video-marketing such as Facebook Live & Conversation-stirring videos.
DO: Get on Facebook Live! This might be the most cost effective solution to stay relevant and to be seen by your clients. You know that fear you have about going LIVE! It’s time to get over it. Facebook Live videos “on average get six times as many interactions as regular videos.” You can also get on Instagram Live in addition to Facebook to stay connected with your audience.
3. Facebook Ads & Messenger Bots (Pay To Play)
DON’T: Boost posts. This is not the same as running a Facebook Ad.
DO: Learn how to make Facebook Ads. Organic post won’t have engagement like they used to. Facebook Ads will help. Using video in your Facebook Ads also helps.
*Tip: Tameka Allen (Facebook Ads Specialist) or Manybots (Messenger Bot App)
4. Facebook Groups (Get Into a Community & Engage)
DON’T: Stay quiet in Facebook groups.
DO: Engage and Participate in Facebook groups. Ask and answer questions. Participate in polls and posts made by Admin(s). and members.
5. Facebook Newsfeed Settings (Who Do You Want To See)
DON’T: Skip out on choosing what you want to see.
DO: Set pages to “See First” that you want to see in your newsfeed and “”All Posts” for Groups – otherwise your newsfeed will show you what Facebook thinks you want to see.
Whatever You Do…Don’t Quit.
The worst decision you can make with this change is to abandon Facebook. If you can’t afford the cost to advertise, heavily implement the things I’ve listed above, and implement patience. If it really frustrates you, you may want to put more attention to another social media platform, but still keep your Facebook Business page active.
Tip: Be sure to change your notification settings to “All Posts” once you join – this will help you to stay on top of content that I share and to remain engaged in the group.
